Cabinet clears new directors for the Pension Fund and Heart Institute

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Cabinet has approved the appointment of two different boards of Directors to oversee the newly created Public Service Pension Fund and the operations of the Uganda Heart Institute.

At the centre of the decisions is the approval of a nine-member Board of Trustees for the Public Service Pension Fund, a body that will oversee Uganda’s transition from a long-standing pay-as-you-go pension model to a contributory and fully funded system.

Briefing Journalists on Cabinet Decisions at the Uganda Media Centre, State Minister for ICT and National Guidance Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku said the Public Service Pension Fund board will be chaired by Steven Emasu.

Other members of the board include Sarah Walusimbi, Ibrahim Kagere,  Patrick Oculap, Alex Asiimwe, Victor Bua Leku, Jessica Ndagire Nsobya,  Dr Elizabeth Omagino, and Tumwise Zado.

Kabbyanga said the appointment of the board is a critical milestone in the implementation of pension reforms that have been in development for several years.

According to Kabbyanga, the new system will officially commence on July 1, 2026.

“The pioneer Board will be responsible for steering the Fund through its critical establishment phase and ensuring a smooth transition into the contributory system,” he noted.

He said the board’s three-year mandate will focus on setting up governance systems, investment frameworks, and administrative structures required to operationalise the Fund.

For decades, Uganda has operated a non-contributory pension system where retirees are paid directly from annual government revenues. While the model ensured continuity for public servants, it increasingly came under pressure due to rising pension obligations and a growing public service wage bill.

The shift was formalised through the Public Service Pension Fund Act, 2025, which was passed by Parliament and later assented to by the President.

The new framework introduces a contributory arrangement in which both government and employees will contribute to a dedicated pension fund.

Uganda Heart Institute board also appointed

Cabinet also approved a new nine-member Board for the Uganda Heart Institute, a key national referral facility specialising in cardiovascular care.

The board will be chaired by Dr Jelias Magara and includes Dr Charles Oyo Akiya, Dr Sarah Rosemary Byanyima, Rosemary Lwaru Mutyabule, Professor Grace Ndezi, Irene Lugayizi, Joseph Mutasasga, Henry Dungu, and Dr John Omagino.

The Board will serve a four-year term and is expected to provide strategic leadership, strengthen institutional governance, and support the expansion of specialised cardiac services.

Health sector officials say the new leadership comes at a time when demand for non-communicable disease treatment—particularly heart-related conditions—is rising steadily in Uganda and across the region.

Kabbyanga said that the new board is expected to “enhance efficiency, strengthen research and training, and improve access to specialised heart care services.”